Hotel Hideaway: (Soldiering On #4) by Aislinn Kearns

Author:Aislinn Kearns [Kearns, Aislinn]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2017-06-29T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter 14

The air temperature dropped as they drove further into the mountains. Paul had texted Sam the CEO’s location earlier that morning, a cabin about three hours outside of the city. They went, with little need for discussion, as they both wanted to do something—move forward in the investigation despite the setbacks.

Sunlight crested the trees, warming Cameron’s face despite the chilled weather outside. He sucked in a deep breath as fresh air rushed in through the open window of the car. He couldn’t remember when he’d last taken the time to get out of the city, focus on something other than his mission. Now, he could do both at the same time.

“What’s this guy like?” Sam asked from the driver’s seat. “What’s his name? Frank?”

“Yeah,” Cameron replied. “George ‘Frank’ Franklin. Jovial, I guess I’d call him. He has a booming laugh. Played a mean Santa at Christmastime, apparently.”

Cameron smiled at the image of the former CEO of Beaton—a man past his physical prime with a few spare tyres around his middle—playing Santa for his employees once a year. They’d seemed to miss it when Cameron took over and had hired an outsider for the job last year.

“He sounds like a decent guy,” she murmured, an amused smile on her face.

Cameron shrugged. “Maybe. But he was CEO when my brother got killed, so who knows?”

She swallowed, her smile dying a quick death. “Right. I guess we’ll find out.”

He studied her face, the determination etched into her features as she focused on the road ahead. “Why are you doing this?” he asked.

She blinked, glanced at him, then focused back through the windshield. “Doing what?”

“Helping me investigate. It’s not your fight. It’s dangerous, and unpleasant. So, why are you helping me?”

Sam sighed and shifted in her seat. “Well, at first I wanted to make sure I hadn’t saved the life of someone who had nearly killed my friends. Duncan, when he opened Soldiering On, gave all of us a home and a purpose, something none of us had when we’d left the military. I wanted to repay that favour by helping find who almost killed him and my other boss, Mandy, who has become a good friend of mine. I couldn’t bear to think I might have let their attacker walk free.”

She said it so matter-of-factly, as if risking life and limbs for friends was a normal thing to do. In her world, he supposed it was. The military encouraged that bond, and it didn’t break once they left. He’d seen that in his own brother, but never understood the depth of it until this moment, and Sam’s casual attitude to it all.

“And now?” he asked softly.

“Hmm?” she asked, being deliberately obtuse.

“That’s why you came. But now you know I’m not the person behind the Christmas hostage situation, why are you still here?”

She exhaled, evidently realising he wouldn’t let it go. “You’re my responsibility now,” she said.

“So I’m a burden?” he asked, teasing her a little.

She cracked a smile. “No. But you are a client.

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